Well, after several months of off and on browsing on Calguns I finally decided I wanted to purchase a handgun. I can now check that off the list because it came home from jail today (pic below)

However, to keep me occupied while I waited I started reading up on the AR's. My hobby over the years has always been building ATV's but that was getting too expensive and I'm also finding it harder and harder to find the time to build and ride. So, why not build an AR? I don't know much about them but thanks to Calguns I've learned enough to throw one together.

I told myself I would not spend more than $1200 or so on the build. I started off pretty good thanks to Black Friday but then I splurged on a few items (items that are not really going to have an impact on performance but I'm use to building custom quads and couldn't resist a little eye candy). I also decided to support a NorCal arms company and purchased a stripped billet lower from Newtown Arms. I could have save a few hundred by going with a spikes or another lower priced receiver or but I always try to support local business' when I'm impressed by their products. And I was impressed with their billet lowers. I've been around machining most of my life and have a soft spot for precisely milled billet. They have an uncoated matched lower/upper set in their shop that I would like to hang on my wall as a piece of art.

Anyways, my parts have started to arrive and just about everything has been ordered except for a few items. Rear sight, (possibly) a scope, mags, and a few small items like a nice grip, a buffer spring, and maybe a sling. I'm going to the Vallejo gun show this weekend and will look for those items.

Anyways, thanks Calguns! I feel like a kid again.... I just don't want to see my bank statement for a while.

Some pics:

Out of Jail today:
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o128/NorCaltrx450r/IMAG0338.jpg

AR part to order if I can make up my mind! Having a hard time justifying the price of this Spikes SAR quad rail. Really like the look of it though.
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o128/NorCaltrx450r/9-sar.jpg

Okay, that's it for now. I'll post up some pics once its all put together. Let me know if I've failed on any of these parts. Got some decent prices on this stuff.

ChaneRZ

12-02-2011, 7:37 PM

Once you start, you can't stop hehe!

mlevans66

12-02-2011, 7:39 PM

Welcome to the club and where did you ger the XDm from?

Nor*Cal

12-02-2011, 7:42 PM

Tracy Rifle and Pistol did the SSE on the XDm.

animossity

12-02-2011, 7:42 PM

NVM I missed the Newton Arms part lol.

Dude that's a sick lower, can you PM me where you got that? I am in norcal as well and in the market for a lower for a new project. I am gonna have my next AR lower and rail anodized to match the finish of my Sig P220 combat.

http://www.discountgunsales.com/images/P/Sig%20220%20FDE.jpg

Dreaded Claymore

12-02-2011, 7:44 PM

Tracy Rifle and Pistol did the SSE on the XDm.
They are a great store, aren't they? :)

Nor*Cal

12-02-2011, 7:59 PM

NVM I missed the Newton Arms part lol.

Dude that's a sick lower, can you PM me where you got that? I am in norcal as well and in the market for a lower for a new project. I am gonna have my next AR lower and rail anodized to match the finish of my Sig P220 combat.

Thanks, they are in Placerville. Small shop but really nice guys. Here's there website. (http://www.newtown-firearms.com/) They have a Gen 3 matched upper and lower they are releasing in January. Looks pretty sweet.

They are a great store, aren't they? :)

No complaints. I'm far from an expert and have only been in a few shops. But they seemed like cool guys.

cfusionpm

12-02-2011, 7:59 PM

How much were the mags? It's pretty much impossible to find XDM mags locally.

mquejr

12-02-2011, 8:00 PM

don't you just love this disease :D

Nor*Cal

12-02-2011, 8:03 PM

How much were the mags? It's pretty much impossible to find XDM mags locally.

Is it their 16 inch mid length gas? Looks baaaaaad. Please give me the specs!!!!!!!!.....I think I'm gonna do a build with that barrel and maybe just clear anodized upper / lower.

Nor*Cal

12-02-2011, 8:50 PM

Is it their 16 inch mid length gas? Looks baaaaaad. Please give me the specs!!!!!!!!.....I think I'm gonna do a build with that barrel and maybe just clear anodized upper / lower.

I would highly advise you to NOT build one with a billet clear anodized upper and lower... it just will not shoot right. :43: But really, that was my initial plan but it will have to be for a future build. I own some commercial polishing equipment and was tempted to polish up some billet receivers. I have polishing down to a science. My last quad has hundreds of hours of polishing into it.

Anyways, here's the spec...

BCM SS410 16" Mid Length Upper Receiver Group 1/8 Twist

BBB114

12-02-2011, 9:00 PM

Thanks, lets see who gets it built first!

Metal Fiend

12-03-2011, 5:28 PM

AR part in jail (lower receiver only! for now):
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o128/NorCaltrx450r/Newtownlower.jpg